Donations aplenty for local projects

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Sizable gifts to three nonprofit efforts were announced in recent days:

• The largest is $4 million given to the Olympic Museum project. The donation, whose source was not disclosed, is enough to move the project off dead-center. Utilities work at the museum site will begin in fall, Mayor John Suthers said.

• The Garden of the Gods Foundation has provided $512,958 to the city of Colorado Springs to benefit Garden of the Gods. Lyda Hill said on behalf of the foundation's board that the "record breaking" tourist season at the Visitor and Nature Center enabled the donation. A city release says the money will be spent on scientific studies, trail renovations, a park communication system, transportation study and two new park vehicles.

• Urban Peak Colorado Springs, which helps homeless youth, announced it received $150,000 from First United Methodist Church — the largest single donation ever made to Urban Peak since the shelter was built on East Cucharras Street more than 10 years ago. Urban Peak director Shawna Kemppainen called the gift "transformational," saying it would help the agency build capacity.